Downward Spiral
by xxAkira-chanxx
Summary: Lately Naruto has been experiencing episodes of mysterious pain. Is it linked to the Kyuubi? Is the seal breaking? How will this shocking discovery affect Naruto and the rest of the shinobi world as he fights off Akatsuki and tries to retrieve Sasuke.
1. A Foreshadowing Nightmare

Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own the Naruto characters; Kishimoto has that honor

**Disclaimer:** Sadly, I don't own the Naruto characters; Kishimoto has that honor. Lucky bastard XD

A/N: Just to let you guys know this is in fact my first story on so be gentle! Please leave a review and constructive criticism is encouraged other than that I hope you enjoy my story so far.

Pairings: Hmm pairings at this time are undecided but I am considering making this a SasuNaru so no flames all right. Others might include SakuLee, KakaIru and some others but they're not particularly important in the story so far since I only have a vague idea of the plot but I'll let you guys know later on. There also might be some one-sided stuff and so on but other than that enjoy!

Downward Spiral

The lustrous silver moonlight that streamed through the window was like a thick mist of crushed diamonds. The light cast a pale glow throughout the room and formed a thin veil over the slumbering form of the person inhabiting the cozy bed. Suddenly the body shot up, revealing a toned chest slick with sweat. The blonde teenager's face was contorted in pain; his eyes tightly shut as gold lashes brushed against whiskered cheeks. His teeth clenched together in order to prevent any cries of pain to escape from deep within his throat.

Naruto quickly shed himself of the blue sheets that were obstructing his path to the bathroom that lay just down the hall. He gingerly shifted his body so that his slender legs hung over the side of the bed as his feet made contact with the cold floor. As he was about to elevate himself off of the mattress, an agonizing pain swept Naruto's lithe body at a rapid pace like a wildfire would a forest.

Naruto immediately tried to ease the pain's intensity as he clutched his stomach with both arms while proceeding to bend over, causing his spiky blonde bangs to hang over his face. Moments passed before the ripples of pain subsided and Naruto let out an exhausted sigh.

"Ugh, what the hell is wrong with me?" he asked himself, his voice slightly hoarse. After a short period of contemplation Naruto quickly picked himself up and swiftly headed toward the bathroom.

His usually graceful steps were clumsy as he felt his knees buckle from underneath himself and a wave of nausea washed over him. When he arrived at his destination Naruto immediately headed toward the toilet and then vomited. As he finished, Naruto's weary gaze fell upon the contents of the toilet. Crimson was laced throughout the diluted vomit but sheer exhaustion clouded his initial worry. The blonde ninja carefully picked his body up from the cold tile floor with aid from the wall. He then stumbled into the direction of the sink and grasped the white porcelain with both of hands. His breathing was labored and his insides burned from the mysterious pain. Naruto let out a sharp gasp when he felt the Kyuubi's chakra flare since it caused him even more agony. When his breathing evened out he lifted his head in order to look into the mirror in front of him.

His normally vibrant sapphire orbs were dull with pain and reflected the events that had just transpired. The crippling pain evolved into a dull throb as Naruto collapsed on the floor, his legs unable to support him any longer. His eyelids grew heavy and soon fluttered shut as Naruto succumbed into the familiar darkness that was sleep.

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Dream sequence

_His legs carried him through shallow gray water as he observed his surroundings. Pipes leaked upon the walls of the sewer as he breathed in the damp smell that surrounded him. This place was familiar but something felt odd and out of place. Naruto continued though his walk in his mindscape heading toward the area Kyuubi was in. His facial features sported a confused and worried expression. Usually by now he would hear the restless movements of the demon and the angry irritated growls. Instead there was silence._

_There was an eerie feel in the atmosphere that unnerved the blonde as his blue eyes peered into the darkness of the hallway that led to the fox's chamber. There was a soft crimson glow at the end, which alerted Naruto's senses. This didn't feel right, something was terribly wrong. His pace increased as Naruto broke out into a run, water sloshing around his feet. A thin layer of cold sweat accumulated on his body as Naruto reached the cell the fox was in. _

"_What the hell?" Naruto whispered panic evident in his voice. His blue eyes widened as he stared at the heavy iron bars of the cell. There was a large gaping hole of twisted metal bars large enough for the Kyuubi to get through. _

_A chill ran up Naruto's spine as the icy feeling of dread washed over him. His breathing quickened and he let out a loud gasp when stared into red slitted eyes right next to him. _

"_No, this can't be!" Naruto yelled while clutching his blonde hair. _

"_Oh yes kit, I'm free." The fox replied as his deep booming laughter filled the room. _

"_Too bad this is only a dream." Kyuubi snarled bitterly as his nine crimson tails lashed around him wildly. Naruto visibly relaxed but the relief didn't last long._

"_Oh don't you worry kit, I'll make sure this is a reality." The demon growled. _

"_Sooner than you think." Kyuubi smirked his eyes dancing with malice._

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Hey guys! Reviews would be greatly appreciated and if you like it I'll be sure to post more chapters! Granted I'm a huge procrastinator I'll try my best :D


	2. A Bitter Memory and a Warning

**Disclaimer:** Sadly, I don't own the Naruto characters; Kishimoto has that honor. Lucky bastard XD

A/N: Just to let you guys know this is in fact my first story so be gentle! Please leave a review and constructive criticism is encouraged other than that I hope you enjoy my story so far.

Pairings: Hmm pairings at this time are undecided but I am considering making this a SasuNaru so no flames all right. Others might include SakuLee, KakaIru and some others but they're not particularly important in the story so far since I only have a vague idea of the plot but I'll let you guys know later on. There also might be some one-sided stuff and so on but other than that enjoy!

Reviews: Thank you everyone who reviewed, it really made my day and it helped me write this chapter. For future reference if you have any questions about the story or anything of that nature I'll be happy to reply the best I can without giving anything away. Once again thank you so much for the encouragement and positive reviews! They really helped me with writing more chapters and such. I'll try to update this as soon as I can.

Downward Spiral

The sun began to rise causing rays of vibrant light to filter in the blonde ninja's bathroom window. The bright beams of sunlight rested on the slumbering whiskered face of Naruto who was sprawled out on the hard tile floor. With a groan, Naruto's eyes began to flutter open revealing a gorgeous shade of cerulean blue. He brought a hand to his face in order to rub his eyes and let out a discontented sigh. Kami when did his bed get so hard? Eventually when his eyes focused, Naruto took in his surroundings causing confusion to be etched onto his face.

"Why is my head next to the toilet?" Naruto thought to himself as he racked his brain for an answer. Suddenly realization began to dawn on Naruto as the incident from last night replayed in his mind.

"Well I guess that explains why I'm on the floor and not on my bed." Naruto murmured to himself, his voice thick with sleep. As he shifted his body into a sitting position, a sudden jolt of sharp pain appeared in his back causing Naruto to let out a yelp.

"Kuso, I guess this is what I get for sleeping on the floor." Naruto hissed into the cool air of his apartment; as his right hand glided over his lower back trying to soothe the discomfort.

After the pain eased Naruto quickly got up onto both of his feet, swaying only slightly as he regained his balance. He then made his way over to the shower and turned the water on, waiting until it was hot enough. Once he removed his clothes Naruto promptly walked under the heated downpour of water. He let out a relieved purr as the hot water helped remedy his backache. The rivulets of water streamed down creamy tan skin while they made their quick descent into the drain below. Any other time Naruto would have been uncomfortable with the extremely hot water for he preferred warm showers but this morning was an exception. After washing his golden hair with some fragrant shampoo, Naruto pressed his forehead against the wall of his shower to think.

"Damn fox what did he mean by making it a reality?" he thought to himself as one of his hands unknowingly rubbed the area where the seal was located.

"Like hell, I'll make sure he never breaks free." Naruto murmured determinedly as he reached out toward the silver shower dial, turning off the downpour of water.

"**We'll see kit**." Kyuubi's voice interjected, his crimson eyes flashing with disturbing mirth as a giant smirk appeared showing off ivory canines.

"What exactly are you planning, and don't think it'll be easy, I'll be sure to stop you." Naruto growled in response to the demon's taunt.

"**You never cease to amuse me kit and don't worry you'll find out soon for it has already begun**." Kyuubi's booming voice rang out before slowly fading away as the connection broke off.

"Fuck!" Naruto snarled as his fist came in contact with the tile wall of the shower. After calming down, he let out an aggravated sigh.

Opening the shower door, Naruto stepped out and grabbed a fluffy orange towel to wrap around his slim waist. His hand clutched securely at the soft material as he swiftly opened the bathroom door. As he walked out into the narrow hallway, the dense mist of moisture rolled out dispersing into the air like wisps of smoke no longer confined in the small bathroom. Naruto shivered slightly when the cool air came in contact with his warm heated skin, which was covered in tiny trails of water. After the moisture covering his wide expanse of honey tan skin dried, Naruto proceeded to get dressed.

No longer did he wear the bright orange color he was known for but something different all together. His outfit consisted of a pair of traditional black shinobi pants that cut off a little past his knees, a form fitting sleeveless blue top that complimented his eyes and showed off his strong slender arms along with black shinobi sandals and a white jacket with sleeves stopping at his elbows adorned with dark blue accents. Naruto also had bandages covering his right leg and half of his left arm with a pair of black fingerless gloves. After getting dressed, Naruto quickly towel dried his damp golden tresses causing drops of liquid crystal that stubbornly clung to his locks to disappear. Letting out a soft sigh he averted his gaze to the alarm clock that was stationed on his dark oak nightstand.

It read 7:05 am.

"Phew, I still have some time left." Naruto commented, feeling quite relieved. After all he didn't want to be the target of Sakura's wrath like Kakashi for being late.

"Damn woman is scary when she's mad." Naruto mumbled to himself wincing slightly at the memory of Sakura punching him with her super strength when he accidentally implied that the pink haired kunoichi was very manly.

Naruto then grabbed his Konoha headband, his fingers ghosting over the cold metal surface where the symbol was engraved. His mind then unwillingly drifted to the thought of his ex-teammate and best friend.

"Sasuke." He hissed as his grip tightened causing his knuckles to turn white from the pressure.

"Why?" Naruto thought angrily as he remembered all too vividly the chidori through his chest and the look of madness in those obsidian eyes. His shoulders slumped as he shook his head, clearing his mind of the youngest Uchiha who always seemed to plague his mind like a disease.

"Hope you're happy bastard." Naruto quietly spat as he firmly tied his headband on his forehead and sped off toward the training field to meet with his team. Unknown to Naruto this beautiful sunny day would soon turn ugly.

I feel proud of myself since I updated pretty quickly wouldn't you say? Anyway please leave a review, they help me fend off my procrastination! I'll get to work on the next chapter now and hopefully I'll have it posted within the next two days.

P.S The next chapter is going to be really long so look forward to that!


	3. And So It Begins

**Disclaimer:** Sadly, I don't own the Naruto characters; Kishimoto has that honor. Lucky bastard XD

A/N: I am truly sorry for the** horrendously** long wait! My Microsoft Word was really screwed up for a few weeks up until yesterday because every time I tried to open up a new document the whole thing would freeze and I couldn't even open up old documents. My dad tried to fix it but eventually my computer wiz cousin had to come over and like reboot the **WHOLE** system, which took forever. In the meantime I was able to write in my notebook a few chapters so I'll update faster since all I need to do is type them. Thank you guys soo much for your patience and reviews! Love ya!

Pairings: Hmm pairings at this time are undecided but I am considering making this a SasuNaru so no flames all right. Others might include SakuLee, KakaIru and some others but they're not particularly important in the story so far since I only have a vague idea of the plot but I'll let you guys know later on. There also might be some one-sided stuff and so on but other than that enjoy!

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**Downward Spiral**

In a golden flash, Naruto traveled amongst the tops of buildings, occasionally stealing a glance at the vast cloudless sky.

"Wow, it sure is nice today." Naruto thought to himself as he relished in the light cool breeze that gently played with his hair. A strange sensation began to form in the pit of his stomach causing Naruto to wince slightly. The feeling subsided as quickly as it came and he shook off his initial worry.

"Weird." Naruto commented as he made his descent toward the training field grounds.

The leaves rustled in the wind adding a pleasant element to the peaceful morning. Following the familiar dirt trail, he couldn't help but feel nostalgic. Naruto buried his hands in his pockets, continuing along the path until his gaze met a bright patch of pink tresses nestled within the predominately green surroundings. With a wide grin stretching across his face, Naruto ran towards his pink haired teammate.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto yelled gleefully, his clear blue eyes sparkling with unsuppressed joy at the sight of his sister like friend.

Startled Sakura turned to face her exuberant friend, sharply sucking in her breath. No matter how many times she saw her teammate, Sakura could never get over how stunning he looked. Rays of daylight touched his skin and brightened his complexion giving him a heavenly glow. His radiant blonde hair was illuminated by the sun's light and his wide blue eyes reflected the sky above.

"Morning Naruto." Sakura replied with a warm smile.

"Aren't you glad I'm not late!" the blonde ninja pointed out with obvious pride.

Green eyes darkened.

"You mean not like last time when you were even later than Kakashi-sensei." Sakura stated with an evil smirk, as the grin melted off the blonde's face.

" Eh, exactly." Naruto replied sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.

"You know I can still feel that punch." He mumbled while rubbing the top of his head.

"Good." The kunoichi smugly spoke, crossing her arms across her chest.

"Hey Sakura-chan." Naruto drawled out after a few moments of silence.

"What is it?" she asked, curiosity flashing within soft green eyes as she directed her attention to the whiskered ninja.

"Where's Sai? He's usually here by now and I don't sense his chakra nearby." Naruto commented as blue eyes scanned the vicinity of the field.

"Good question." Sakura replied

Before the two could proceed with their conversation a cloud of smoke interrupted them.

"Yo." Kakashi greeted, his one visible eye curved up as he waved at them.

"You're late." Both ninjas remarked uninterested causing their sensei to be slightly taken back.

" Uh okay, well guys I have a bit of news to announce." Kakashi said, gaining Naruto and Sakura's attention.

"As I'm sure you've noticed Sai isn't here due to some urgent business and I have to leave for an important mission now." Kakashi commented as he adjusted his headband.

"Why can't we go? Is it about Sasuke!" Naruto questioned, eyeing his sensei with a heated glare.

"Don't worry it has nothing to do with him but you and Sakura can spar together now until you're assigned another mission." Kakashi stated as he patted the disgruntled blonde's head affectionately.

"Don't get so worked up Naruto." Sakura scolded causing the blonde to pout.

"Bye!" Kakashi replied as he transported away. Moments passed before Naruto broke the stillness of the atmosphere with a cocky remark.

"Don't worry, I won't go too hard on you." Naruto boldly announced to the shocked ninja. Her stunned appearance soon hardened.

"All bark and no bite." Sakura smirked fingering the kunai in her holster.

"Hardly." Naruto coolly replied as he got into a fighting stance.

With much skill and ease Naruto easily spared with Sakura barely breaking a sweat. The kunoichi grew annoyed that Naruto wasn't serious as she on the other hand was having a hard time keeping up with him. As much as she was irritated Sakura couldn't help but admire how strong the blonde was.

"Wow Sakura-chan you're getting better." Naruto exclaimed as he struggled to dodge her flurry of punches.

"Your not too bad yourself." She admitted to the grinning blonde as she focused on producing a much more powerful attack.

Suddenly an unexpected jolt of pain caused Naruto to stumble when he landed on the hard copper colored earth unable to evade the chakra packed punch Sakura directed toward him. As the kunoichi's powerful attack came in contact with Naruto's back he let out a gasp of pain while an excruciating burning sensation formed within his stomach. The blonde was sent hurdling toward a large collection of trees, soon slamming into the thick brown bark causing it to crack from the pressure. Sakura's jade green eyes widened as disbelief washed over her.

"Naruto should have easily been able to dodge that." She thought to herself while running over toward Naruto in a relatively fast pace.

Naruto let out a pain filled yell as the burning sensation intensified. He desperately clutched his stomach as his vision became blurry and tinted with red. Sweat began to accumulate in a thin layer all over his body while he writhed in agony on the fragments of rock and bark.

"Ugh Gah!" the blonde screamed as demonic chakra rapidly leaked from the seal and began covering his entire body. Naruto's breathing became erratic and labored as he felt the chakra suffocating him. While running over to Naruto, Sakura's eyes flashed with shock as the icy grip of dread tightened around her. The feeling of malice within the air was overwhelming and enough to make the fierce kunoichi's blood run cold. There rooted in her spot, Sakura stared at Naruto's body as it convulsed, encased in a cloak of ghostly chakra. Suddenly another one of Naruto's screams pierced the air, effectively breaking Sakura from immobile state.

"Naruto!" the rosette shrieked as she frantically dropped to the ground beside him.

"No, no, no! What do I do?" the pink haired medic desperately wailed as the red chakra whipped in the air in an angry dance.

"S-Sakura?" Naruto weakly called out, quickly gaining her immediate attention.

"Go and get out of here!" the blonde hoarsely yelled, earning him a surprised glance. Sakura's once hesitant and fearful eyes hardened and filled with determination.

"No, I'm going to help you no matter what! Sakura firmly replied as she concentrated chakra in her hands.

"I-I can't control it this time." Naruto managed to say in between gasps, feebly trying to warn his pink haired friend. Sakura ignored his remark and lowered her hands toward his abdomen using her chakra to try and suppress the expanding demonic force.

"I know I can't do this by myself but I'm going to try my best." Sakura murmured to Naruto as he gritted his teeth trying to gain back control. She struggled tremendously against the sheer force of the Kyuubi's chakra and the unbearable heat radiating off the whiskered shinobi. Suddenly a strong shockwave of red chakra surged from within Naruto, easily sending Sakura sailing through the air where she crashed onto the ground. Naruto's clear blue eyes became hazy and clouded over adopting a vacant look.

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Mindscape

_The damp musky sewers were illuminated with a bright glow giving the murky water a sickly twist of color. The air was thick and heavy with __malevolence coming from Kyuubi's cell. A deep taunting laugh echoed within the confines of Naruto's mind, filled with dark unsuppressed mirth. Thick tendrils of scarlet chakra the bubbled with hate and bloodlust lashed out at Naruto. Blue eyes widened as Naruto quickly turned around and ran trying to escape the clutches of the demon. _

"_Going somewhere, are we?" the giant fox growled as a smirk adorned his face. Naruto didn't get far before the tendrils caught him, slowly enveloping the blonde in a layer of crimson. _

"_Let go of me!" Naruto snarled angrily as he struggled to escape the demon's hold on him. _

"_Now why would I do that, kit?" Kyuubi playfully asked, as a twisted grin appeared displaying sharp canines. As Naruto continued his desperate struggle against the chakra's secure grip his gaze wandered onto the large iron bars in front of him. Kyuubi began to manifest himself outside the gate, his body made of bubbling chakra. His crimson eyes burned with intense hatred and evil intentions, as he stared into blue depths._

"_So close to freedom!" the fox roared his voice laced with excitement while his nine blood red tails lashed around him in a frenzy. _

_Naruto glared with stormy blue eyes at the demon, which suddenly flashed with fear as he noticed something wrong with the seal. _

"_Ah so you've finally noticed." Kyuubi chuckled darkly noticing the fear in the blonde's eyes._

_The small paper seal was tattered and frayed around the edges with a rip halfway down the front. The seal seemed strained as it feebly held together the iron gate containing the powerful kitsune. Naruto struggled to verbally communicate with the demon but the scarlet chakra constricted around his throat and body. Naruto could only watch helplessly as his body was dragged across the cold water, closer to the eager fox. Naruto's body lashed around fully intent on breaking free but all of his struggles proved to be futile. _

"_That damn seal is finally breaking! After all these years stuck in your pathetic human body, freedom is finally within reach!" Kyuubi roared with anticipation, The fox's crimson eyes, flashed gold with apprehension as Naruto was pulled into the cell. _

"_Let the fun begin!" Kyuubi hissed as he licked his lips. _

* * *

With a groan Sakura's eyes fluttered open. She felt lightheaded as she slowly picked herself up from the wreckage. Wiping the blood from her mouth, the kunoichi's green eyes widened considerably.

"Naruto!" Sakura thought frantically as she spun around wildly looking for him. In the distance the rosette spotted Naruto's figure standing in the center of a crater surrounded by uprooted trees and jagged pieces of earth. Ignoring the pain in her leg, Sakura broke out into a run towards the blonde. She then abruptly skidded to a halt. Naruto's body was concealed in a cloak of red chakra with three tails of the bubbling force whipping behind him languidly. His head was bowed and his shoulders slumped forward causing his blonde hair to hide his face. The crackle of bright red sparks and demonic energy swirled around him dangerously. Sakura felt the hair on the back of her neck stand as she felt extreme power and lust for blood radiating from her friend.

"Naruto?" Sakura hesitantly called out in a shaky voice.

The blonde's head quickly snapped up upon hearing her voice. Sakura let out a gasp when Naruto revealed his face. His once warm and friendly blue eyes no longer stared back at her. Deep crimson engulfed his entire eyes, even the white that surrounded his irises. The two pools of red glinted with madness and unfathomable amount of hatred. The whiskers on his face that Sakura found adorable became thicker and more prominent giving him a feral look. The angry snarl that appeared on his handsome and delicate face revealed two sharp ivory fangs that protruded from his mouth, curling over his bottom lip. The nails on his fingers elongated into deadly claws that could easily cut through flesh and bone.

"Please Naruto, this isn't you!" the pink haired ninja pleaded desperately. With a deep fearsome roar that shook the earth, Naruto charged at the frightened kunoichi. The blonde pulled back his arm ready to strike his friend. As he brought his clawed hand down on her, Sakura quickly performed a back flip effectively dodging the fatal blow. What she didn't notice was one of the crimson chakra tails outstretched toward her. It curled around her waist burning the skin on her arms.

"Gah!" she hissed in pain while balling her gloved fists. The tail then rapidly uncoiled around her body, launching her spinning into the ground below. With a loud thud the ground cracked beneath her causing a cloud of smoke to billow from the site of impact. Sakura gritted her teeth in pain and swiftly propelled her body into an upright position. Feeling blood run down her wounds, Sakura once again tried to talk some sense into the blonde.

"Naruto, I know you're stronger than that pathetic demon. Fight it!" she yelled. Hearing her plea Naruto hesitated, his red eyes briefly flashed blue. Seeing this slight change Sakura determinedly continued.

"I believe in you Naruto! I know you can do this and I know you can be hokage!" she screamed. Naruto clutched his head in agony as he staggered away from her. Suddenly his arms dropped down.

"Pathetic! Who are you calling pathetic, weakling!" Kyuubi snarled from Naruto's mouth. The deep and husky voice filled with furry made her blood run cold.

"Y-You're not Naruto." Sakura stuttered accusingly

"What was your first clue." The demon growled as a sick grin stretched across Naruto's face. The kunoichi shuddered, seeing that foreign expression on the sunny blonde's face. It wasn't right.

Before Sakura had the time to respond, Naruto rushed at her with amazing speed.

"Time to die!" Kyuubi roared with his outstretched arm and eyes burning with mirth.

"Raikiri!" a voice yelled causing Kyuubi to divert his attention. A hand that crackled with powerful sparks and bolts of electricity blocked Kyuubi from harming Sakura and came in contact with a clawed hand, pulsating with demonic chakra. A loud boom resounded in the air as the two attacks met.

"Kakashi-sensei!" the kunoichi gratefully exclaimed.

"Are you alright, Sakura?" the copycat ninja inquired, waiting for the smoke to clear.

"Yeah, I'll be fine." She replied as she began healing her numerous wounds.

"Wait, how did you know to come back?" Sakura questioned with a confused expression.

"I felt that enormous burst of Kyuubi's chakra and I figured something was wrong." Kakashi replied quickly as he immediately tensed.

"Well, well what a pleasant surprise?" Kyuubi purred as he circled the two shinobi.

"I can't say the feeling's mutual." The silver haired man ground out in an even voice.

"Aw, that hurt my feelings!" the demon pouted, feigning offense.

"Didn't know you had any." Kakashi replied stiffly.

"It's a good thing you showed up. I was getting bored with this one." The fox chuckled ignoring Kakashi's last remark.

"That's it! What the hell did you do to Naruto?" Kakashi snarled, his patience running low as his eyes narrowed.

"I took control. What else?" the kitsune smirked while brandishing his claws.

"And now, time to satisfy my craving for blood!" Kyuubi yelled with a maniacal glint in his crimson eyes. Kyuubi unleashed a powerful roar directly at Kakashi, ripping trees from their roots and creating a hurricane of debri.

The copycat ninja skillfully evaded the jutting columns of rock by utilizing his agility. Sakura on the other hand barely escaped the blast but a huge piece of earth hurdled towards her, propelling the kunoichi into a pile of fallen trees. Her half healed wounds burned as blood began seeping out. Gathering her remaining chakra in her fist, Sakura used her super strength to pulverize the giant slab of rock that crushed her legs.

"Sakura stay back!" Kakashi ordered, noticing her poor condition.

"No, I have to help Naruto!" she demanded defiantly while glaring at him.

"You're in no condition to be of any help so just stay put." The silver haired ninja yelled with finality.

"Don't hurt him okay." Sakura requested in a small voice.

"Of course not." Kakashi replied with sincerity as his expression softened slightly.

"C'mon Naruto! It's your body, take back control!" Kakashi growled at the rapidly approaching demon.

"What makes you think he can?" Kyuubi hissed as three tails lunged at the jonin.

"Because of how strong Naruto has become." Kakashi replied, his voice laced with pride.

"Enough!" Kyuubi roared with irritation. He then launched a blast of crimson chakra with a swipe of his claws directed at his opponent. Kakashi hurriedly preformed a number of hand signs.

"**Suiton: Suiryudan no Jutsu!"** Kakashi yelled, manipulating the body of water nearby. The huge current of water took the shape of a dragon and sped toward the opposing attack in order to counter. The two attacks collided creating a hiss when water and fire met. Kyuubi slammed Kakashi in the back with his three tails and sent the ninja skidding across the rocky terrain.

"Damn!" Kakashi swore as he regained his balance. The demon chuckled in amusement before letting out a bored sigh.

"Now, time to be serious!" the kitsune snarled as he concentrated an enormous amount of chakra, creating cyclones of fire.

"I'm no match for him but I can at least try and stop this." The ex-anbu captain though gravely as he reached for the paper seal in his pocket. The towering cyclones exuded an unfathomable amount of searing heat making the air unbearably dry. Before Kakashi had time to formulate a plan, Kyuubi appeared in front of him in a scarlet flash.

**"DIE!"** the demon roared bringing his claws down, fully intent on slashing the man in half. Just before the ivory claws were able to rip through the ninja, Kyuubi's red depths enlarged and filled with shock.

"No, this isn't possible!" the fox howled angrily. His eyes flickered from blue to red, before his right eye reverted back to their original color.

"I won't let you have control!" Naruto hollered as he furiously grabbed fistfuls of his blonde hair.

"No, this isn't over!" Kyuubi's deep booming voice growled desperately as Naruto's other eye began to change switching between the two colors, making it seem purple.

**" Go Away!"** Naruto screamed as the fiery twisters died down and the crimson cloak of chakra that encased him started to recede. His thick darkened whiskers began to fade while his fangs and claws dulled and shortened. After he reverted back to his normal self, Naruto's eyes rolled in the back of his head as he slumped to the ground with a harsh thud.

"Naruto!" Kakashi yelled while running over to the unconscious blonde.

"Kakashi-sensei! What happened to him?" Sakura exclaimed, limping towards her teammate's still form.

"Kyuubi was just about to kill me but somehow Naruto gained back control and then he collapsed." Kakashi informed the kunoichi as she inspected the blonde's injuries. Naruto's slender body was marred with a multitude of wounds and burns caused by the intensity of the demonic chakra. Suddenly his body gave a violent jerk as blood squirted from his mouth.

"We have to take him to Tsunade-sama right now!" Sakura said alarmed by the situation.

"I agree but I'm gonna carry you too. Don't argue." Kakashi sternly announced to the injured rosette.

"One question. How are you going to carry us both?" Sakura inquired with a slender pink brow arched.

**"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu."** The jonin said quickly causing a single shadow clone to appear.

"Let's go!" Kakashi barked as he gently hoisted the Naruto over his shoulder as his clone picked up Sakura.

"Naruto, please be okay." Sakura thought as she looked over at his tattered and limp form.

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The next chapter will be out soon I promise! (holds out pinky) OH and reviews are deeply appreciated and will be used to toast marshmallows. Thank you and until next time.

P.S: I'm sorry if you happen to find any gramatical or spelling mistakes, sadly I don't have a beta :(


	4. Notice

The Fate of Downward Spiral

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Hey guys. Okay I'll skip the small talk and get straight to the point. I'm seriously having doubts about continuing this story. I was going to post another chapter tomorrow but when I reread the last three chapters I literally cringed. The dialogue and the flow of the scenes were choppy and downright horrible. There's too much description and not enough depth or explanation of certain things. I was thinking of putting this on hiatus and then rewriting the whole story. You know, start from scratch. Or I can write chapter four and see if I can salvage the story and plot. I can post it and see if it's good or not by judging your reactions to it.

Please leave a review saying if you want me to or not. I won't discontinue this story but it might take a while to rewrite. Sorry to those few people who actually read and liked Downward Spiral. I love you xD

Once again I would love some feedback :D

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